November 2, 2010 Ballot Issues

Thank you, voters, for your support of issues 9 and 11!

Read a Press Release issued on November 3, 2010.

Issue 9
Due to the failure of Issue 7 on May 4, 2010, to increase the city's income tax rate by 0.5%, the City Council has passed legislation (Ordinance No. 10-27 and Resolution No. 10-R) to place this measure back on the ballot on November 2, 2010. The need for funding still exists... for both public safety funding as well as capital improvement funding. As you know, after the failure of the levy on May 4th, 6 firefighters and 3 police officers were laid off, 3 recently vacated police officer positions remained unfilled, and Fire Station Number 2 on 2nd Street was closed. If Issue 9 is passed, all 12 Public Safety positions will be immediately reinstated and Fire Station Number 2 will be reopened.

The actual ballot language for Issue 9 on November 2, 2010, is as follows*:

A majority affirmative vote is necessary for passage.

Ballot Language
Shall the Ordinance providing for a half percent (0.5%) levy on income for maintaining police and fire service levels, street improvements, and other general capital improvements be passed?

For the Tax Levy

Against the Tax Levy

*This language was changed by the Director of the Greene County Board of Elections. See press release below.

Issue 11
Issue 11 is a proposed Charter amendment initiated by City Council to give the city the option of supplementing the safety services with part-time and/or temporary employees and volunteers. Additional funding will still be needed to support existing safety service levels.

This amendment shall become effective and take effect immediately upon passage by the voters.

Shall the proposed amendment of Article XVI: Safety Services to the Charter of the City of Xenia, Ohio, be adopted?

_____ Yes

_____ No

Issue 10
Issue 10 is a proposed Charter amendment initiated by police and fire personnel and the Get Alarmed Citizens of Xenia PAC to require levels of manning for the Police and Fire Divisions even if no money is available. The Xenia City Council strongly opposes Issue 10. If Issue 9 fails and Issue 10 is approved, the city would be required to immediately reinstate the 6 police officer positions and 6 firefighter positions that were laid off in June 2010, as well as hire an additional 3 firefighters. The public safety manning levels would be set by Charter regardless of the financial position of the city. Without additional funding (if Issue 9 fails), the city's cash reserve (aka Rainy Day fund) would be depleted by 2013 and the city would be bankrupt. Please remember that the city is already making a $6 million transfer (based on 2009 numbers) from the General Fund for Public Safety expenses (see the Dollars and Cents page for more information). Further, there would be no funding available for any street improvements, capital purchases, fleet replacements, etc. The bottom line: The Xenia City Council has every intention to reinstate the 12 laid off public safety employees If Issue 9 is approved. Minimum Manning requirement levels set by Charter are not necessary to ensure your safety and would only serve to put your city in an even more unstable financial environment.

Actions and information provided to date include the following (please click on the links to view, download, and/or print the PDF files):

Review an Employee Cost Breakdown (PDF) as it relates to salaries charged to the 101 (General) and 270 (Police and Fire) funds. Please note the numbers reflect base salaries only and do not include overtime. Exempt employees, such as the 3 appointed officials and department heads are not eligible for overtime. The cost to the 101 and 270 funds (the last column) is actually the cost to the General Fund or Police/Fire Fund, which are the funds supported by income and property taxes.

Ordinance Number 10-31 (PDF) passed on July 29, 2010, to allow the city to utilize volunteers, temporary, and/or part-time firefighters, emergency medical technicians, auxiliary police officers, and/or part-time police officers as a part of any manning requirement.